Every Man
by Man of Faith
Summary: We tend to forget the hope in all of us, but as Maya, Bailey, Zack, London, and Cody are about to find out, no matter who you are, there is always hope. Songfic. "Every Man" by Casting Crown


_****_**Hi all! I know I haven't written in a while, but hearing this song for the first time just inspired me to write. Hope everyone had has a wonderful New Year and may God bless this year infinitely more then He has in previous years for each one of you. Please enjoy this Songfic. **

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><p><em><strong>I'm the man with all I've ever wanted<strong>_

_**All the toys and playing games**_

It was a quiet night in London Tipton's suite as we see a lone figure, sitting by herself taking in her surroundings. All her life, London had everything she wanted without so much as lifting one finger due to how rich her father was. Yet, with all the toys, games, clothing, and servants at her beck and call, she was never truly happy. The few friends that she had were too busy with their own lives and Moseby had his own family to take care of now. She was all-alone. Was she destined to never find love?

_**I am the one who pours your coffee**_

_**Corner booth each Saturday**_

In a busy diner in a small part of Boston, Zack Martin is currently taking another sip of coffee as he enjoys the reprieves of his job. It had been a long night shift with another murder case for him to solve. Times like this truly made Zack wonder what was the point of being part of the living. The worst of human kind always seem to show their faces in this line of work and Zack was practically numb to it all. As his favorite waitress, Kate, pour him another cup of coffee, Zack looked up at her, silently asking, "Is there any hope at all?"

_**I am your daughter's favorite teacher**_

_**I'm the leader of the band**_

As the last of her students left the room, Bailey began to clean up after her students. She understood that children, especially teenagers, were always going to be a handful, no matter what generation they are in. However, it doesn't help to feel as if the integrity and morale of students seem to decline every year she teaches. Yes, there were kids in her class that she absolutely loved and were her favorites as she was to them, but the kids that remind her of her brother-in-law in his teen years were more and more common. Scratch that, Zack was an angel compared to the demons she faced now on a daily basis. She may be the band director and a leader, but she felt like a complete failure.

_**I sit behind you in the bleachers**_

_**I am every man**_

Woody Fink sat in the bleachers, watching his former roommate and good friend, Cody Martin coach his son's peewee football team. It felt weird seeing Cody of all people be a coach, but the little training that he had gotten from Kirby all those years ago, along with a better understanding of how to apply physics into football made Cody an excellent coach, once he is able to get his kids to understand the complex concepts of physics. Yet, with every failed play on the field committed by his team, Cody's shoulders look as if it was sagging more and more. There were always going to be failed plays in any sport, but Woody can see that his buddy was going to need a pep talk after this.

_**I'm the coach of every winning team**_

_**And still a loser in my mind**_

ANOTHER BOTCHED PLAY! It's a miracle they win every season with me as their coach! Cody berates himself. Never one with confidence in his athletic abilities, Cody often wonder who's brilliant idea was it to make him a head coach of a football team. Granted Bailey did talk him into it and they win practically every season, along with his record of improving any player brought into his tutelage, made it almost impossible for him to quit. Yet, if he was being honest with himself, he always felt that the team won and his players improved IN SPITE of him. No matter what his mom, dad, brother, wife, nor his kids tell him otherwise, Cody always felt like the weakest link and therefore, the loser.

_**I am the soldier in the airport**_

_**Facing giants one more time**_

As she waited at the airport in her uniform, Maya watched as one by one, her fellow soldiers were hugging and crying as they meet up with their loved ones once more. Gone were the horrors of the warzone and into the warm comfort of home. Yet, as she did not see any of her family members yet, Maya felt a loneliness she knew all too well during her stint in Afghanistan. Even though U.S. troops pulled out of that country years ago, the increased of insurgents caused the government to request more US aid to the country, with Maya platoon being one of them. After seeing the desolation and poverty of others in the world from the peace corp, Maya had decided to join the service with Zack's blessing after she had came back from Chad and renewed her relationship with her former ex-boyfriend now husband. Now, being alone in an airport full of complete families, she began to regret her decision.

_**I am the woman shamed and haunted**_

_**By the cry of unborn life**_

Today, why must this damned day come every year, Emma Moseby thought as she tried to hold in her tears. She should be happy. She has a loving husband, two wonderful and beautiful children, but yet, this day always makes her feel like the worst person in the world. It was this day 8 years ago, when she had to have an emergency abortion of her first child, for its very existence was slowly killing her. The medical team did every thing possible to save both mother and child, but in the end, the child was just too underdeveloped and the mother became the priority. After that, she and Marion were afraid of conceiving again and it took everything that London, Bailey, Maya, and Addison had in them to make Emma try once again for a child. She was always thankful for the support, but looking back, she's always haunted by the idea of "what if?"

_**I'm every broken man, nervous child, lonely wife**_

A heartbroken Marion Moseby standing by the doorway, watching his wife grief.

A teenage girl standing by the door of the classroom, watching her favorite teacher breaking down.

A widower of two years staring into the lost soul of a young police officer.

_**Is there hope for every man**_

_**A solid place where we can stand**_

_**In this dry and weary land**_

_**Is there hope for every man**_

_**Is there love that never dies**_

_**Is there peace in trouble times**_

_**Someone help me understand**_

_**Is there hope for every man?**_

A sudden knock came at the door, which surprised London. Who would be visiting her at this ungodly hour? As she freshens up and made herself look presentable, she walked over to open the door and was greeted with the biggest hug ever. After the initial shock, she looked to see her best friend, Maddie, staring back at her. All London could do at the moment was break down and cry as Maddie held onto her and whisper, "Shh…you're never alone…"

_**It seems there's just so many roads to travel**_

_**It's hard to tell where they will lead**_

As Cody continued his internal pity party and not able to see exactly how well his team was playing, it was a miracle that his internal emotions weren't causing a detriment to the team. As Woody continued to watch his friend go through all of his internal struggles, he wondered how Cody ever ended up like this.

_**My life is scarred, my dreams unraveled**_

_**Now I'm scared to take the leap**_

The teen girl was still in a shock, unable to fathom what was going on with whom she always considered a very strong and supportive teacher. In fact, Mrs. Martin had always been her favorite teacher since her freshman year and she always looked up to her. Now in her senior year, she had chosen to forego the family business and wanted to teach, with Mrs. Martin as her role model. Seeing her now, the girl began to question her dreams, but still decided to take that leap of faith.

"AHEM!" she coughed, getting the attention of one Bailey Martin

_**If I could find someone to follow**_

_**Who knows my pain and feels my weight**_

_**The uncertainty of my tomorrow**_

_**The guilt and the pain**_ _**of yesterday**_

Kate had no idea what to say. After her husband had suddenly passed away two years ago, she was as lost as Zack looked at times when he came into her diner after a long night shift. In fact, it was because of that part of her life that made her Zack's favorite waitress. Since Maya had her tours with the Army, Zack didn't have that constant presence where he can share all the demons in his workday. Kate became that emotional garbage can and Maya had always appreciated it. Kate understood his pain because she had been there once before. Scared of the unknown with the death of her husband, she had no idea how was she ever going to live. Yet, with the love and support of her children and grandchildren, she was able to find a purpose in life. That's what she had done for Zack these past two years, but today was different. Today, it seems as if Zack Martin had his fill of the world's problems.

_**Is there hope for every man**_

_**A solid place where we can stand**_

_**In this dry and weary land**_

_**Is there hope for every man**_

_**Is there love that never dies**_

_**Is there peace in trouble times**_

_**Someone help me understand**_

_**Is there hope for every man?**_

Before Maya could fall even further into her loneliness, she felt a tug on her pants as she looked down and saw her daughter looking up at her with a toothy smile. It was the followed up by a pair of strong arms linking themselves around her waist as she tilt her head back to give her husband a longing kiss.

Once the kiss ended, she smiled and said, "Looks like you got the drop on me for once."

Zack smiled back, "Yeah. For once. Welcome home babe."

"Welcome home mommy! I miss you!" little Alexandra Martin shouted, hugging her mommy's legs.

Maya laughed, welcoming the warmth of her family around her, feeling dumb for ever doubting the love that she had with her every single day, even if their physical presence wasn't always there.

_**There is hope for every man**_

_**A solid place where we can stand**_

_**In this dry and weary land**_

_**There is hope for every man**_

As Cody walked out of the locker room to the fill of congratulations from all the parents of his players for another job well done, Cody took it as a sarcastic compliment. Surely, they could see that he didn't win, his team won IN SPITE of him. As he waited for both his son and Woody's son to come out, he wasn't too surprised when Woody took him into his arms and hugged him. With the love of a brother, even though he wasn't Zack, it was all Woody can do to help Cody feel better.

"They won because of you Cody, not in spite of you."

As Woody let go of the hug, Cody sighed, "I know Woodster, but I can't help and wonder the latter some times though."

"You need to stop thinking that way. You know that Conner has improved so much since you took over and Matt always tells me how much you prepare them for every game. Granted he wished he understood the concepts you teach a lot better, but the practices and different way of thinking the game helps them a lot."

"So you think I'm a good coach then?"

"Why don't you ask them?" Woody said as he pointed out to the crowd that included every single player that Cody had coached or was currently coaching.

_**There is love that never dies**_

_**There is peace in trouble times**_

_**When we help them understand**_

_**Jesus is hope for every man**_

"How can there be so much evil in this world?" Zack asked outloud finally.

"I wish I knew how to answer that dear, but I can't," Kate said as she slid into the seat in front of him, "I just know that with every ounce of evil in this world, there is good as well."

"Good? How? And please don't tell me that Jesus is the hope of us all. I don't need a religious lecture right now."

"Maybe not," Kate said in agreement, "but you do need to remember your faith in times like this. He is the hope for every man because no matter how much hate there is in this world, there is love. For every ounce of despair, there is hope. For every amount of rage, there is peace. You have seen the worst of mankind and yet, I do not see your faith ever waiver. Why should it start now?"

To that question, Zack looked at Kate with awestruck wonder.

_**There is hope for every man**_

_**A solid place where we can stand**_

Having enough of her mourning, Moseby walked over to his wife and began to comfort her, but also to bring her back to reality.

"Emma, you can't do this every year around this time. The time for grief should be over."

This caused Emma Moseby to spark and bark at her husband, "HOW DARE YOU BE SO INSENSITIVE? YOUR FIRST BORN IS GONE MARION AND IT WILL NEVER BE RETURNED TO US! HOW CAN YOU ASK ME TO NOT GRIEF OVER HIS DEATH!

"Emma," Marion said soothingly as he hugged her, "I never said I didn't care. It's just that this isn't helping after 8 years. You've had time to grief, now it's time to move on and live our lives. We have two more kids to worry about and take care of. Think of them. "

_**In this dry and weary land**_

_**There is hope for every man**_

Bailey turned around and saw one of her favorite students, Stella, standing by the door. Drying her tears, she stood up and look at the senior.

"Stella, what can I do for you?"

"Well, I was going to ask about a recommendation for college, but I see you're a little busy."

"How much did you see?" Bailey asked, afraid of showing weakness in front of her students.

"Just you crying, is some thing wrong?"

Bailey thought about whether or not to answer truthfully, since she knew about Stella's decision, but felt it was better to let her know what to expect later on in her own career.

"I was just showing my frustration over the fact that teenagers these days are just becoming worse and worse. I just don't know how to handle them as well anymore. It just doesn't seem like I can get through to any of them," Bailey ranted as she sat down at her desk.

"I know it doesn't seem like it, but they do listen to you, even the ones you feel don't. Did you know that Rick has been practicing on his steps every day out on the field?"

"He has?" Bailey asked in shocked, since Rick was one of the boys that constantly disrupted her class and made Zack's treatment of teachers seem innocent.

"Yup! You're one of his favorite teachers and he wants to make sure to not disappoint you when the time comes during games."

"But he never acts interested during class and always disrupts me."

"That's because he has a reputation to maintain with his group. To be honest, he's been hanging out less with them lately and realizing that if his friends can't accept him for who he is, then there is no point in being friends."

"That certainly sounds familiar," Bailey mused.

"It should," Stella commented, "You taught it to us."

With that revelation, Bailey broke down once again, this time realizing that her students really did care and do listen to what she says during class. Maybe not all hope is lost after all.

_**There is love that never dies**_

_**There is peace in trouble times**_

_**When we help them understand**_

_**Jesus is hope for every man**_

Maddie and London were in London's suite, talking and catching up with one another.

Kate and Zack were sitting in a booth, both praying for the world and Zack continue faith in the good of mankind.

Cody getting confirmation from every single person he had coached or currently coaching, listening to how much of an impact he had on their lives.

Bailey being held by Stella, letting her know exactly what a great teacher she truly was.

Maya leaving the airport with her family, holding little Alexandra in her arms while walking side by side with Zack Martin.

Emma and Marion sat in continued embrace, finally healing the wounds that should have been taken care of long ago.

_**There is hope for every man….**_

_**Every Man by Casting Crowns**_


End file.
